Systemwide Events Calendar

Great Comets: What Makes Them So Great?

Dr. Alan Fitzsimmons from Queen's University Belfast (Northern Ireland) will speak at this Frontiers of Astronomy Community Event. Once a decade, a truly spectacular comet is visible even through the bright city lights. This year, we may see two of them. Historically, these appearances have induced both fear and wonder. In modern times, the wonder remains, and scientists use them to gain new insights into the nature of comets and the history of our solar system. While we cannot do anything about how often they appear, new facilities such as the Pan-STARRS telescope on Maui can give us advance warning about when they will arrive.